Neoregelia planted named ‘Romance’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Neoregelia  plant named ‘Romance’, characterized by its upright and outwardly arching growth habit; broad glossy green and red purple-colored lower leaves; broad glossy red purple-colored upper leaves; and good interiorscape and landscape performance.

Botanical designation: Neoregelia princeps×(Neoregelia hybrid×Neoregelia carolinae).

Cultivar denomination: ‘ROMANCE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Neoregelia plant, botanically known as Neoregelia princeps×(Neoregelia hybrid×Neoregelia carolinae), and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Romance’.

The new Neoregelia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Princeton, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Neoregelia plants with uniquely colored leaves.

The new Neoregelia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2002 in Princeton, Fla. of an unnamed proprietary selection of Neoregelia princeps, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary selection of Neoregelia hybrid×Neoregelia carolinae, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Neoregelia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Princeton, Fla. in 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Neoregelia plant by offsets in a controlled environment in Princeton, Fla. since 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Neoregelia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Neoregelia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Romance’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Romance’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Neoregelia:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly arching growth habit.     -   2. Broad glossy green and red purple-colored lower leaves.     -   3. Broad glossy red purple-colored upper leaves.     -   4. Good interiorscape and landscape performance.

Plants of the new Neoregelia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Neoregelia are more upright than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Neoregelia are glossier than         leaves of plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Neoregelia and the female parent selection         differ in leaf coloration.

Plants of the new Neoregelia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Neoregelia do not require flower bud         initiation to develop leaf coloration whereas plants of the male         parent selection require flower bud initiation to develop leaf         coloration.     -   2. Plants of the new Neoregelia and the male parent selection         differ in upper leaf coloration.

Plants of the new Neoregelia can be compared to plants of an unnamed selection of Neoregelia meyendorfii, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Princeton, Fla., plants of the new Neoregelia and the unnamed selection differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Neoregelia had more upright and rigid         leaves than plants of the unnamed selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Neoregelia did not require flower bud         initiation to develop leaf coloration whereas plants of the         unnamed selection required flower bud initiation to develop leaf         coloration.     -   3. Plants of the new Neoregelia and the unnamed selection         differed in leaf coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Neoregelia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Neoregelia plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Romance’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Romance’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe flowering plants grown during the spring in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered greenhouse in Princeton, Fla. under commercial Neoregelia production practices. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 32° C., night temperatures ranged from 7° C. to 32° C. and light levels averaged 3,200 foot-candles. Plants were one year old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Neoregelia princeps×(Neoregelia     hybrid×Neoregelia carolinae) ‘Romance’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Neoregelia princeps, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Neoregelia hybrid×Neoregelia carolinae, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By offsets.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 45 days at 28° C. to             30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 60 days at 28° C. to             30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             months at 28° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             months at 18° C. to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; yellow to             tan in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Upright and outwardly arching             growth habit; rosette leaves are erect when young, becoming             outwardly arching with development; plants readily produce             uniform offsets; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 23 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 44 cm.         -   Internode length.—About 3 mm.         -   Stem texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Stem color.—Close to NN155D. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette, spiral phyllotaxis; simple; sessile,             clasping.         -   Shape.—Oblong.         -   Apex.—Cuspidate.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Serrate; spinose.         -   Length.—About 33 cm.         -   Width, mid-section.—About 6.4 cm.         -   Width, base.—About 9 cm.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; leathery.         -   Luster.—Glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Lower leaves, upper surface: Darker than 148A;             towards the apex, close to 60A; towards the base, close to             157D; venation, similar to leaf surface coloration. Lower             leaves, lower surface: Close to 148A; towards the apex,             close to 60B; towards the base, close to 157D; venation,             similar to leaf surface coloration. Upper leaves, upper             surface: Close to 61A; towards the base, close to 157D;             venation, close to 61A. Upper leaves, lower surface: Close             to 60A; towards the base, close to 157D, venation, close to             60A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence form.—Terminal flat-topped compact corymb             located inside the leaf rosette; about 80 flowers develop             per inflorescence.         -   Time to flower.—Plants begin flowering about ten to twelve             weeks after planting; plants flower naturally during the             spring in Florida.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one day on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 6.4 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.6 cm.         -   Flower size.—Length: About 6.1 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 5.6 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Shape: Narrowly elongate. Color: Close to 91A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Three in a single whorl. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Length: About 4.6 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to NN155D; towards the apex, close to 93B to 93C. When             opening, lower surface: Close to NN155D; towards the apex,             close to 91A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to NN155D;             towards the apex, close to 93B and 93C. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to NN155D; towards the apex, close to 91A.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per flower: One. Shape: Elliptic to             oblanceolate. Length: About 4 cm. Width: About 1.2 cm.             Texture: Membraneous. Color: Close to 145C to 145D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Three in a single whorl. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Length: About 3.2 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             145B; towards the apex, close to 146C; towards the base,             close to NN155D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Typically erect. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to NN155A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Typically erect to somewhat             outward and curving upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 155D.         -   Stamens.—Quantity per flower: Six. Filament length: About             2.3 cm; partially adnate to the petals. Filament color:             Close to NN155D. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length:             About 6 mm. Anther color: Close to 158D. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 158C.         -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             4.5 cm. Stigma shape: Oval, elongated. Stigma color: Close             to 155D. Style length: About 2.6 cm. Style color: Close to             NN155D. Ovary color: Close to NN155C.         -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production have not been observed             on plants of the new Neoregelia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Neoregelia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 2° C. to about     37° C. -   Interior & garden performance: Plants of the new Neoregelia have     been observed to have good postproduction longevity under interior     conditions and to have good garden performance. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Neoregelia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Neoregelia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Neoregelia plant named ‘Romance’ as illustrated and described. 